In honor of Veterans Day ( November 11), your editors ask: When did the Memorial Trees on Memorial Drive disappear? They were planted May 4, 1923, and no longer grace what is now Veterans Drive.
This is a hard question, so the winner will win a standing ovation, in addition to more free readings of Grand Traverse Journal!
A much easier question is, where is this plaque located?
In front of the VFW on Veteran’s Drive for the plaque.
Still working on the harder question
Well done, K! We bet you can figure out the harder question, too. Good luck!
Veteran’s Drive was once M-11 a trunk line into Traverse City.
According to the April 25, 1923 newspaper, the ceremony to dedicate the 30 trees was near Garfield Township hall with the trees starting there and going north (downhill) until the south city limit. The article also notes “Complete records of the trees and those whose death they commemorate will be filed at the county clerk’s office and a temporary marker will be placed on each tree at the planting.
Forty-two maples were planted on Arbor Day (May 4) 1923.
It was hoped this would be the “first of several in the county.”
The report of the ceremony notes “permanent markers of marble or bronze will be placed at foot of each tree giving name and service record of each [honoree].” and the “Record of each tree is now at the court house to be preserved for generation after generation.” The list of names to be included on the Monument and tablet” erected Arbor Day 1924 appears in the March 14, 1924 TCRE.
Thank you for bringing this bit of Traverse City history to our attention.
What are you, a reference librarian? Solid work, K, and thank you for educating our readers! Alas, of the 42 maples planted, we believe we know where 4 of them may still stand, but the rest, who knows where they’ve gone. Where are those remaining 4, you ask? Find out in the December issue of Grand Traverse Journal!